CHRISTMAS CARDS & WRAP
Seasons Greetings When it comes to the festive season, choosing the right cards and wrap is the best way to finish off the gifts under the tree and show your friends and family that you care, so having a varied offering helps to get everyone in the Christmas spirit.
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hristmas is the time for giving, and without sounding too materialistic, sometimes the best things to give are beautifully wrapped gifts and cards. With sales of nearly a billion Christmas cards in the UK (single cards and multi packs), it’s safe to say that plenty of people are still spreading joy over the festive season and popping a Christmas card in the post to their loved ones near and far. Of course, like every card category, Christmas follows a variety of design trends and having a mix of cards on the shelves is the best way to please discerning customers. Traditional cards
and wrap will feature the iconic colour palette of red, green and gold and can generate feelings of nostalgia with elements such as Santa, Christmas trees, baubles and bells. A red and white ribbon might nicely finish off any gifts too. For a more glamorous look, dark tones, glitter and stars will be prominent. Industrial vibes will be apparent with geometric designs and hints of copper colouring. Or you can create a party sensation with lots of bright colours, sequins, foil, and even a bit of texture. Any of these styles can be created with the right merchandise from suppliers such as The Art File, Noel Tatt, Glick and others. But it isn’t just the style or colouring of cards and wrap that
What the Retailers Say Jemma from Just Delights, Penryn, Cornwall “The Art File do well at this time of year, plus we have some nice things from Art Marketing. This Christmas we decided to take on a new range to try something different and Rosanna Rossi has gone really well, we’ve had their everyday cards before but the Christmas ones are flying off the shelves.”
Christine Holmes, Flaunt It, Welshpool, Powys, Wales “Noel Tatt are always a top favourite at Christmas, as well as UK Greetings and Nigel Quiney. I also get a budget range from the local warehouse so I have something to suit everyone’s pocket. Cardigan cards is a versey range that is new to the shop this season. It’s going not too bad, I’ve had recipients come back into the store in tears they’ve been so touched.”
Dave Hockridge from Present Surprise, Chichester “It may be Christmas but we still get some odd requests. Someone recently asked if we had a Christmas card with a picture of a yacht on it.”
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Nearly a billion Single Christmas Cards and Multi Packs are sold in the UK customers are considering, with the increase in environmental consciousness and climate change awareness, consumers are being more considerate about what Christmas cards they are purchasing and the kind of wrapping they want to use. There is a degree of misconception in the community, and even the industry to a degree, about the use of glitter and foils on cards and wrapping paper and their impact on the ability to be recycled. Yes, if the paper contains plastic then it can’t be recycled, but it can still be reused (surely my mum isn’t the only one to have a stash of gift bags and paper in the cupboard ready to repurpose?). But just because a roll of paper is shiny, that doesn’t immediately discount it as being able to be recycled. Publishers and manufacturers are becoming better at highlighting their eco credentials beyond the use of FSC card. While the focus has been on the change in cello wrapping to biodegradable or compostable alternatives, or moving to nested and naked cards, other changes have been happening too. Besides the bags, there have been developments in the world of flitter, gems and even inks, with the creation of products that don’t contain any plastic and will break down over time (and not
centuries that existing products can take, if at all). Windles have an enviro-flitter that is a non-polyester based flitter which will naturally biodegrade. Loxleys have an ecofriendly range which includes 100% biodegradable and recyclable flitter and cello bags, plus they have a plastic-free alternative to plastic gems as well as mineral based toner inks. Bio-glitter is on the uptake with publishers such as Fay’s Studio now incorporating in their products. Having these features creates the need for more awareness among retailers though so they can pass the information on to their customers. It’s no use having recyclable paper and cards, or items that can go in a compost bin if customers aren’t told about it, without the knowledge it will all just end up in landfill again. But it shouldn’t just be the wraps and cards which people are informed about when it comes to recycling. There are now environmentally friendly tapes on the market too, as sticky tape reduces a product’s ability to be recycled. We’re sure to see more of these product developments across the new ranges to be released in the coming weeks and months, and Christmas 2020’s offerings may look very different to what was under the tree for 2019. So keep your eyes peeled for what’s out there.
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18/12/2019 16:11